MARKETPLACE WINES?

The majority of the wines we list are sourced from the market. This includes direct from growers, exclusive distributors and agents and European Trade stockholders.
The typical lead time for consolidation, shipping and arrival into our cellars from confirmed order is approximately 6 to 8 weeks.

IMMEDIATE WINES?

These are immediately available wines are held in our temperature-controlled cellars at London City Bond. Please note, if your order contains 'immediate' and 'marketplace' wines, these will be delivered together.

The majority of the wines we list are sourced from the market. This includes direct from growers, exclusive distributors and agents and European Trade stockholders.

The typical lead time for consolidation, shippinng and arrival into our cellars from confirmed order is approximately 6 to 8 weeks.

Once we have received your wines, we will deliver to your chosen UK or International address or transfer to your chosen storage account.

WHAT ARE 'IMMEDIATE' WINES?

These are immediately available wines held in our temperature-controlled cellars at London City Bond.

All of the wines have been rigorously checked by our warehouse staff and condition reports, including photographs, are available on request.

Next day delivery is available to all London addresses and for other UK addresses delivery is typically within one week. International delivery is also available.

EN PRIMEUR WINES

The 'ORDER' status means that these wines are now available for you to buy. Collection of your wines is arranged once they have been bottled and released by the producers. Lead times for bottling can vary between 6-24 months, or sometimes even longer depending on the wine. On arrival your wines are landed into your own bonded storage account, or delivered to your instructions at current rates. We highly recommend storage in our fully insured, climate controlled and secure bonded facility, where your wines can mature quietly and undisturbed until they reach their drinking window, or from where they can be sold at the click of a mouse.

The '+ALERT ME' status signifies that these wines are likely to become available soon or that we have currently sold out and are actively seeking more via our extensive network. By clicking Alert Me, you will be informed via email as soon as it becomes available.

Please note that delivery to UK and EU addresses attract duty and VAT, which can only be invoiced at the time of delivery.

We actively track thousands of prices across Europe every day, immediately reacting to any price movement and enabling us to list thousands of wines at very competitive prices. Our prices 'float' with the market, and if the market for any wine moves, then our prices will reflect that.

EN PRIMEUR PRICES

En Primeur prices are quoted ‘in bond’, i.e. without duty or VAT, but do include transport to our world-class bonded storage facility at London City Bond in Tilbury.

Collection of your wines is arranged once they have been bottled and released by the producers. Lead times for bottling can vary between 6-24 months, or sometimes even longer depending on the wine.

On arrival your wines are landed into your own bonded storage account, or delivered to your instructions at current rates. We highly recommend storage in our fully insured, climate controlled and secure bonded facility, where your wines can mature quietly and undisturbed until they reach their drinking window, or from where they can be sold at the click of a mouse.

Please note that delivery to UK and EU addresses attract duty and VAT, which can only be invoiced at the time of delivery.

This wine has been flagged as less than 'perfect condition' (taking into consideration its age). The relevant indicators can include: lower content level, bin-soiled label, damaged cap etc. As a result, this is available at a discounted market price.

‘DP’ shown against a price indicates that UK Duty has already been paid.

For UK and EU customers it means that VAT must be charged as the wine is no longer ‘In Bond’. It does not affect non-EU export orders.

What Are ‘En Primeur’ Wines?

‘En primeur’ wines, or wine ‘futures’ are those that are bought before the wine has been bottled and are still in the barrel. They are bought in bond – i.e. excluding duty and VAT. For many wines, buying ‘en primeur’ allows you to buy at a better price than buying after the wine has been bottled and shipped. The wine typically arrives in the UK one to three years after the harvest, therefore up to two years after you have made your purchase.

Comtes Lafon: The Importance

Robert Parker is quick to commend Domaine des Comtes Lafon's Dominique Lafon, who “has kept ratcheting up quality,” at the family domaine, “arriving in recent vintages at an exemplary balance of richness with clarity and refinement.” Clive Coates supports this view, naming Comtes Lafon as “one of the few indisputably three-star white wine estates in Burgundy.”

Jancis Robinson is similarly enchanted by what she describes as “one of the Meursault’s grandest houses,” and “one of the village's most blessed, and more aristocratic domaines, built up astutely a century and more ago. It boasts well over three hectares of premier cru vineyard as well a precious slice of white burgundy's crème de le crème grand cru: Le Montrachet. Lafon Montrachet sells for many hundreds of pounds a bottle.” John Gilman adds that from a practical point of view, the palatial structure of the Lafon domaine provides “some of the deepest and coldest cellars in Burgundy,” and caters to a long, unhurried élevage of the formidable white wines produced here.

Comtes Lafon: The Insight

Although the language is crude, the message is clear when Neal Martin says: “the Montrachet is the ‘dog’s bollocks’ as we used to say,” adding that “whilst one feels coerced to examine its minutiae, the hedonistic side of your personality will wonder what the hell you are doing and just gulp it down. Try to do both, is my advice.” John Gilman explains that “the Lafons’ parcel of Montrachet lies in the Chassagne section of the vineyard, alongside the vines of Domaine de la Romanée Conti’s impossibly rare Montrachet,” while in Robert Parker’s view, “The four Meursault premier crus, and of course the Montrachet are consistently memorable, but ostensibly lesser whites, including the monopole. Meursault Clos de la Barre, can all be recommended and are all in great demand. Red wines like the Volnay Santenots du Milieu and smaller lots of Volnay Clos des Chênes and Volnay Champans combine polish and richness with precision and finesse. The Monthélie from Duresses premier cru should also not be missed.”

Even the Domaine des Comtes Lafon's Bourgogne Blanc is regularly described as “gorgeous” by Antonio Galloni, while of course the Meursault, and all the host of associated vineyards are the mainstay of the domaine’s success, particularly the Meursault Genevrières, Meursault Perrières, Meursault Charmes, Meursault Goutte D’Or, Meursautl Clos de la Barre, Meursault Poruzot, Meursault Poruzot and Meursault Desirées. All of these wines provide an ideal insight into what is perhaps the most uniformly outstanding village in the Côte de Beaune, with Lafon’s signature style of ripe, hedonistic fleshy openness perfectly illustrating the more voluptuous and indulgent style of great white Burgundy.

Comtes Lafon: The Background

Antonio Galloni applauds Dominique Lafon as “one of the most thoughtful growers in Burgundy, who has basically re-examined every aspect of the way he makes wine in response to the problem of premature oxidation.” Visiting the biodynamic domaine in August 2011, he observes that the wines “spend more time on their lees, but that is just one of the many changes that have taken place,” with many innovations driven by Dominique Lafon’s remarkably open-minded and inquisitive approach to neighbouring vignerons. Neil Martin observes that Lafon was “inspired by the late Gérard Potel’s modus operandi of transferring wines into stainless steel for their final six months rather than keeping it in barrel for the full ‘upbringing,’ (i.e. élevage)” and notes that Dominique poured a sample of his 2013 Montrachet “quipping that it sported a ‘Coche-like’ reduction,” thus acknowledging the influential style of Domaine Coche-Dury, who could be seen as an arch-rival. Comparisons between Lafon and the legendary Jean-François Coche are not uncommon since both are based in Meursault and share several excellent vineyards, most notably Meursault-Les-Perrières and Meursault Genevrières. Jancis Robinson hails them jointly as this white burgundy village's “two most famous Domaines.” With just under 17 hectares however, Domaine Lafon’s vineyard holdings are more extensive than those of Coche, having been deliberately refined, selected, and augmented since 1894, culminating in 2011 with the purchase of two outstanding Meursault Premier Crus from the liquidated Domaine René Manuel: Meursault Les Bouchères and Meursault Poruzot (a.ka. Les Poruzots). These vineyards were purchased in a joint venture with the highly esteemed Domaine Roulot, which now farms the other half of these small plots.

Another recent expansion has been the establishment of Les Héritiers des Comtes Lafon in 1999, which has been hailed by John Gilman as “one of, if not the most important, estates in the Mâconnais, and along with other high quality-oriented producers such as Olivier Merlin, André Bonhomme, Jean-Marie Guffens and Jean Thevenet.”

FINE+RARE offers UK home delivery through our logistics partner London City Bond, with next day deliveries available for Central London addresses.
We deliver Monday to Friday; charges are £ 16 + VAT for up to 10 cases (12x75cl or equivalent) for most UK postcodes.
For delivery charges to Highlands, Islands and outlying areas, please contact our
Customer Service Team.

INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY:

For deliveries into Hong Kong and Singapore, we offer a dedicated air and sea service.
For more details regarding delivery to Hong Kong, Singapore and all other destinations, please view our
International Delivery information page.
Spirits cannot travel on our services to Hong Kong, Singapore or Macau and require separate shipments. Please contact our
Customer Service Team for further information.

F+R STORAGE:

Our storage costs are highly competitive. We will happily accept cases or single bottles, charging pro-rata based on the number of bottles and length of storage period.
Unlike many other wine companies, our service includes storage of duty paid wines as well as in bond from any reputable source, not just those bought through FINE+RARE.
Please visit our F+R Storage information page for more details.

IN BOND AND DUTY PAID DELIVERY TO STORAGE ACCOUNTS:

FINE+RARE can arrange delivery of your wines to your personal fine wine storage account:
Deliveries within London City Bond or to a Vinotheque storage account are charged at £ 8 + VAT for up to 10 cases (12x75cl or equivalent).
Deliveries to all other storage providers are charged at £ 16 + VAT for up to 10 cases (12x75cl or equivalent).

Existing Customers

New Customers

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